All posts tagged GRAVE DIGGER

After three decades of making heavy metal history, GRAVE DIGGER is still one of the very best German metal bands enjoying a leading role, when it comes to classic Heavy Metal! Today the band has unveiled heavy details of their upcoming album for their 35 years anniversary: Title, artwork, track list, release date!

Back to the 80s and back to their roots! That’s what the Exhumation – The Early Yearsis going to be with re-recordings of their absolute classics with a dynamic and powerful sound of 2015 – Set to be released worldwide on October, 23rd, on Napalm Records.

Catch GRAVE DIGGER live on the road when supporting German power metal giants BLIND GUARDIAN on an extensive US-tour this autumn and some very special birthday shows in Germany! Don’t miss this metal party live on tour!

Uwe Lulis, A metaller with about 36 years of a career as a musician, was born in 1965, in the age where Metal Music was ready to rise. He was well known as one of the main members of GRAVE DIGGER and was a part of the band for about thirteen years, then formed REBELLION along with Tomi Göttlich. But now he is well known because he is the guitarist in ACCEPT, alongside such legends as Wolf Hoffmann and Peter Baltes.

In April 2015, Teutonic heavy metallers ACCEPT announced guitarist Uwe Lulis and drummer Christopher Williams as their new members. It was big news indeed, especially for their fans. I, Mohsen Fayazi, had the chance to be the first journalist to have an exclusive interview with Uwe Lulis since he joined the band. I knew that ACCEPT fans were curious to know more about him and probably had lots of questions in their minds, so I prepared and tried to ask some of the main and important questions, ones I thought are more important to the fans.

Back to the past, I started my questions with one about the GRAVE DIGGER era, when Uwe was the main song writer, “I was also responsible for production stuff, I was producer too,” Uwe answered my question about how he feels now when he looks back, “It was a successful time. When I look back, I really think positive, it was a good time for me.”

Those who know Uwe, know about his bad motorbike accident. I heard from one of his friends that the accident really changed his life. So I asked him about it: “It was a really hard accident, I was four years on crutches and had thirteen operations on my leg.” Then I asked him what is the main difference between Uwe in the past and now, he said: “Basically, Uwe in the past was a little bit wilder and little bit more going forward but Uwe now, thinking more about things, more positive and enjoying every day…”

I know some of you are really curious to know about Uwe‘s recent situation and life, especially related to ACCEPT. Perhaps some of you know now that Uwe was not unknown to the band, in fact he worked with Wolf Hoffmann as his Guitar-Tech for about two years. But to begin our chat about ACCEPT, I started in the middle of the story and asked him if he knew that it would be him as the band’s new guitarist, when ACCEPT parted ways with Herman; “There was a 50-50 thing, ” Uwe continues “that means if you want to play in ACCEPT, you have to pass a lot tests, personality tests and musician tests. I mean to play in a band on that level, you have to be really good.”

It is several years now that I have been friends with the ACCEPT guys and I can say that they are really serious about their work. How else could they be so successful when many things and people were against them? I asked Uwe about this and his relationship with other band members. He answered me “Yeah they are really absolute 120 percent serious about their work. That was the reason why I joined the band too, because all my life I wanted to play in a band like this, where everything is well organised, where everybody is pulling his force in the team. That’s exactly what I wanna do too, that’s why I feel so comfortable in this band.”

As I mentioned, Uwe Lulis was not new to ACCEPT, but remembering how the story begins, Uwe said: “It was a kind of funny story, their drum tech Andy who is a good friend of mine, asked me for doing Accept during the summer festivals in 2012. Normally, I am not a guitar tech or something, but I said yeah no problem, I can do it. If I can help you guys out, no big deal, but I will stop after the festivals. Two and half years later still I was on the job and then I joined the band. Kind of nice career.”

Gaby Hoffmann is the mysterious lady behind the curtain, who is responsible for much of the band’s success. She is also a serious person and I find her truly determined. So I asked Uwe about his opinion about Gaby and if she is cruel?! “Yeah cruel is the wrong word, I would say more ‘straight’, 200 percent straight. Maybe that’s what a lot of people can work with, other people are not that straight.” Then he continued expressing his opinion on Gaby – “In my opinion I like her work, she’s a really nice person. She can be really tough of course, but she’s always telling the truth, this is what I like you know. I don’t like people who lie to me or tell me some bullshit or stuff and that’s what’s not happened in Accept. And this is 100 percent what I want to do.”

You can listen to the whole of the interview on our Audio Player below:

Rich Davenport’s Rock Show this week features in-depth interviews with Wolf Hoffmann of ACCEPT, David DeFeis of VIRGIN STEELE, GRAVE DIGGER vocalist Chris Boltendahl, and Ronny Munroe (Metal Church), and is available now for streaming below:

In the first hour of the show, Accept guitarist Wolf Hoffmann discusses the band’s new album “Blind Rage”, and chooses three songs from the new release, along with classic tracks from the past. Wolf also looks back over the band’s successful reunion period and outlines their tour plans.

Also in part 1, Metal Church vocalist Ronny Munroe talks about his new solo album “Electric Wake”, featuring guest appearances from George Lynch (ex Dokken, Lynch Mob) and Pamela Moore. Ronny picks two songs from the album, and looks at Metal Church’s recent live dates and plans for a new record.

In part two, David DeFeis of Virgin Steele looks back at a triology of classic albums from the band’s 90s era, “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Parts I and II”, and “Invictus”, both newly reissued on SPV Records. Along with tracks from each album, David also discusses the band’s forthcoming schedule of new and archive releases.

And finally, Chris Boltendahl of long-running German Metalmeisters Grave Digger explains the band’s decision to return to stripped down, face-melting classic Heavy Metal on their new album “Return of the Reaper”.

You can also listen on Sunday 24th August 15:00-17:00 GMT and Wednesday 27th August 22:00-00.00 GMT on http://www.totalrock.com, and on demand on hot new Texas rock and metal station KXZR Radio at http://www.kxzr.fm

GRAVE DIGGER, the German Heavy Metal veterans hit the charts in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. “Return Of The Reaper”, the band’s highly awaited album was recently released and entered the official German charts at position #16, which is the highest entry in 34 years of GRAVE DIGGER.
– Germany: #16
– Austria: #59
– Switzerland: #34

Dynamic, powerful and unique, that’s why GRAVE DIGGER is still one of the very best metal bands and enjoys a leading role, when it comes to good old Heavy Metal!
Check out GRAVE DIGGER on one of their upcoming LIVE SHOWS!

The legendary German Heavy Metal band GRAVE DIGGER released a lyric video for the track Season Of The Witch. The upcoming album Return Of The Reaper will be released on July 11 in the EU, July 14th 2014 in the UK & July 15th USA/CAN via Napalm Records. This new album has a real back to the roots and dedicated feel, just like the band’s classics. Get your first taste of the upcoming album here:

The Heavy Metal legends GRAVE DIGGER are set to release their long awaited brand new album Return Of The Reaper on July 11th in the EU, July 14th in the UK & on July 15th in USA/CAN via Napalm Records. To get a first taste of the upcoming album, the band has now unveiled a snippet of the track Season Of The Witch! Check it out HERE!